Definition

Noun: A person who is imprisoned because of their political beliefs, activities, or opposition to the government in power. The detention is primarily motivated by the state's desire to suppress dissent, rather than for common criminal acts.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Tổ chức Ân xá Quốc tế đấu tranh cho quyền của các chính trị phạm. (Amnesty International campaigns for the rights of political prisoners.)
  • Ông ấy bị bắt giam với tư cách là một chính trị phạm. (He was arrested and detained as a political prisoner.)
  • Gia đình của chính trị phạm đó đang kêu gọi thả tự do cho ông ta. (That political prisoner's family is calling for his release.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in legal, journalistic, and human rights advocacy contexts to highlight the politically motivated nature of an imprisonment.
• It can be a contentious label; governments may deny holding "chính trị phạm," instead classifying detainees as "criminal phạm" (criminals) who violated specific laws.

Variants and Related Words

• Tù nhân chính trị (n): Another, equally common term for "political prisoner." It is a direct synonym.
  • Họ được công nhận là tù nhân chính trị. (They are recognized as political prisoners.)
• Tù nhân lương tâm (n): "Prisoner of conscience." This term, often used by human rights groups, specifically refers to individuals imprisoned for their beliefs, who have not used or advocated violence.
  • Nhà văn đó là một tù nhân lương tâm nổi tiếng. (That writer is a famous prisoner of conscience.)

Synonyms

• Political prisoner: A person imprisoned for political reasons.
• State prisoner: A person held in custody by the state, often for political or security reasons.

Related Concepts

• Đàn áp chính trị (n): Political repression.
• Bất đồng chính kiến (n): Political dissent.

noun

1. Political prisoner, state prisoner